(MENAFN- The Peninsula) An Indian green group yesterday launched a pilot project for paddy cultivation here, which, if successful, could contribute greatly to Qatar's crucial food security initiative.
Three varieties of rice seeds brought from the south Indian state of Kerala have been sown in small areas in a farm given away for the novel project by the owner of Al Dosri farm in the north of Qatar.
These are 'heritage' varieties of paddy seeds preserved for a long time and it is assumed they are best suited to Qatar's arid land and climate.
A kilogram of rice will be grown of each variety as part of the experimental project, a spokesperson for the green group known as 'Backyard Garden Doha' (Adukalathottam Doha) told this daily.
It is basically a Facebook group led by Ambara Pavithran, Jisha Krishnan and Meena Philips. Kerala's Agriculture Minister, K P Mohanan, in Doha on a brief visit, sowed the seeds in a brief ceremony early yesterday.
According to the group's spokesperson, one of the varieties of the rice will take about 120 days to be harvested while the two others will take about 150 days.
Kerala is a rice-growing province. A prominent tribal person there - Cheruvayal Raman - has preserved some 53 varieties of 'heritage seeds' of paddy and the three sown here have been sourced from him.
The project will not use any chemical fertilisers and will depend on manure made from animal-feed based compost. "It is organic farming," said the spokesperson.
The owner of Al Dosri farm has given away half an acre (some 2,000sqm) of farmland for the novel project. Well water will be used from the farm for irrigation.
Organic manure to be used will also be supplied by Al Dosri farm owner. The area of cultivation will be roughly 300 square feet for each variety of the rice.
First, the soil of the farmland was tested and was found to be acidic so its PH value was balanced with manures, said the spokesperson. The group helps anyone keen to grow vegetables and plants even in their homes, including villas and apartments, with regular advice, seeds and manure.
Mohanan was based in Doha some 33 years ago. He worked with Salam Studios from 1979 to 1981 and went home for good.
He is here on his expense to preside over workshops aimed at inviting Qatar-based Keralites to invest in agriculture back home. He is supposed to be visiting several countries to address such workshops. He chose Qatar as his first stop because he has lived here. A major conference is scheduled on overseas Keralites' investment in agriculture back home, in Kochi early next month.
Agriculture is suffering in Kerala, known for centuries the world over for rubber, coconut, rice, pepper and other key spices, due to fast urbanisation, migration of people overseas and a severe lack of manpower.
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